Our takeaways from the Micronutrient Forum 2014

Jun 14 / events

One Goal was at the Micronutrient Forum Global Conference in Addis Ababa the first week of June -- a forum that brings together a wide array of sectors who share an interest in reducing micronutrient malnutrition including researchers, policymakers, programme implementers, and the private sector. One Goal's unique multi-sector structure and engagement with stakeholders in nutrition, health, economics, and sports to improve child nutrition allowed us the opportunity to present the One Goal campaign in a session and also participate in a panel discussion on engaging the private sector.

In the session "Creating and supporting leadership: Vital in ensuring cohesive and sustainable scale-up", Executive Director of the One Goal campaign Stefan Germann presented One Goal's multi-sector and social franchise approach as a sustainable scale-up method to address the regional issue of child malnutrition in Asia. One Goal's Kesso Gabrielle van Zutphen discussed the campaign's approach to engage and leverage private sector skills and expertise in the panel discussion "Novel approaches to engage the private sector at the country and global level".

The Micronutrient Forum Global Conference 2014 theme placed special focus on building bridges: The convergence of interests and shared responsibility among stakeholders from various sectors including nutrition, health, agriculture, social protection, food security, the private sector and their spheres of influence. Sessions and panel discussion facilitated dialogue and collaboration while disseminating up-to-date research to improve the design and implementation of scalable micronutrient programs.

In an interest to see these programs improve child nutrition, here are our key takeaways from the Micronutrient Forum Global Conference 2014.

The transfer of political will and policy into implementation needs to happen much quicker

Nutritionists have been talking to themselves for far too long.

The evidence is there, but knowledge brokering needs improvement.

Engaging stakeholders is imperative

Much can be learnt from the private sector.

Important to build more trust with this sector

Need to set clear guidelines on how to engage better with them.

Communication

Our messages need to be simplified and target all stakeholders.

Not only is it important to educate stakeholders but also to motivate them.

We're encouraged by the many lessons learned, and the knowledge sharing and multi-level capacity building happening across sectors as apparent from the Forum. One Goal's effort to adopt a multi-sector approach through its structure and also by engaging with civil society, the corporate sector, general public, governments and football fans globally to leverage the power and passion for football to improve child nutrition in Asia continues to gain support and enthusiasm.

Nutrition and football -- one a very complex and often misunderstood issue and the other an ice-breaker and conversation starter -- are two messages that prove to compliment one another, and a message One Goal believes is a powerful one for tackling child malnutrition in Asia.